From Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst

[dateline] Amsterdam 26 Decr. 1783.

[salute] Sir

At the beginning of this Week having many Letters to dispatch relating to the Business
of the United States, we agreed together upon their Contents, and every one of us
charged himself with part of the Work. Mr. Willink promised to write a Letter to your Excellency, and a short Time before the
departure of the Mail, he Sent it to the other Houses for Signing. We observed he
had not been very fortunate in the Expression of our common Ideas, however there being
no Time for composing another Letter, we put our Names under his composition.

But being in doubt wether your Excellency will sufficiently { 435 } understand the meaning, and the Matter being very interesting for the United States,
we hope your Excellency will excuse us if we endeavour to Supply the Defect of that
Letter. If the Matter was of less importance, we would not do it for Reasons, which
will be very appearent to your Excellency; but we presume that those Reasons ought
to be postponed, when there is Danger, that, by too much Delicacy, the Intrests of
the United States might Suffer. We venture this Step without the knowledge of our
Compagnons, in the Intention only to Serve your Excellency; we depend therefore upon
your Friendship, that you’ll do us the Favour not to mention any Thing about this
addres in your Letters to the three Houses.

Your Excellency is informed, that by the present Situation concerning the Loan, and
the Dispositions of the Treasurer, we have been in the very disagreable necessity
to decline the acceptance of half a million Guilders, and again of Seven hundred and
fifty thousand Guilds. We are informed that if the last mentioned Sum should return thro’ want of Payment,
Congres is not to pay any Charges upon their return, in consequence of an agreement
made with the Houses, who took the Bills. But we presume that notwithstanding this,
it will be a great advantage to the States, if we are able to pay them; and we know
that the Expences, attending the Return of the half Million and the disappointment
resulting from it, will be of such Consequences, that we don’t doubt but we are not
only authorised to exert our utmost endeavours to dispose of a Quantity of Bonds,
but even to allow some more Remedium to the Undertakers, than we stipulated at the
beginning with your Excellency. It is allmost impossible at this Time to obtain an
Engagement with these Gentlemen, unless we should make Such Stipulations, which however
we look upon as very prejudicial.

Considering this, and besides that the not paying of the Drafts would occasion a Stagnation
of Commerce in the Spring, because Several Bills are remitted to Such People, who
are to send out Goods to their Amount; we thought it merited the Attention of our
Government, and we have therefore mentioned the Matter to a couple of very Patriotic
Members of our Magistracy, and desired their Assistance for Such Encouragements as
may facilitate the Business. We had the Satisfaction that they were fully convinced
of the fatal Consequences of the Return of the Bills, and that they promised to assist
us in a further Application, which, on this Assurance we have determined to make.
We are in hopes it will be effectual, but we believe at the Same Time, that your Excellency
being { 436 } present, and aproving of our Idea, would give a great weight to our adres: and therefore,
we should wish, that in case your other important Business would permit that Step,
your Excellency would make a trip to this Country. However considering the present
Season, and that perhaps other important Things, concerning the United States, may
make it impossible for your Exce. to comply with our desire, we request you’ll write a Letter to Mr. Van Berckel, Pensionary of this City to recommend the Business, and we have Reason
to think this will do very well.

Mr. Willink has added another Scheme of a new Loan for four Mills. at 6 pco. It is true that the Interests of Loans are rather augmented Since the Time you opened
the Loan for the United States, and we don’t decline that plan, in case we should
have the misfortune of a disappointment from the Magistracy, however we for our private
opinion should prefer first to compleat the former Loan at 5 pco. Besides this we think it is necessary to inform your Excellency, that whenever you
should give the preference to this Scheme, and authorise us to put it in Execution,
it will not be done without granting a Remedium to the undertakers.

We have the Honour to remain very respectfully / Sir / of your Excellency / the most
humb. and Obed. Servts.